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Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Sunday, June 17, 2012

Walking A Labyrinth: A Short Video

I went on a wonderful one-day retreat yesterday at the Mariandale Retreat Center in Ossining, New York. It was hosted by the Blue Mountain Center  of Tamales, CA and was focused on teaching Eknath Easwaran's method of passage meditation and mantram repetition as well as his eight-point system. I look forward to sharing in the coming days my experience at the retreat and some of what I learned with all of you.

In the meantime, I though I'd post a short video I made at the end of my time there. As we all said our goodbyes and were dismissed I decided to take the long way back to the parking lot. There was a beautiful trail that lined the Hudson river for some time and then took a sharp left and looped around the parking lot continuing onwards. Adjacent to the parking lot was a labyrinth. I just could not bear to leave without walking it! I have always been intrigued by labyrinths and have only had one other opportunity to walk one. My only other experience was on a labyrinth partially covered by snow this past winter. It was profound and I shared it here.

The video isn't the best quality and is quite short but it gives one an idea of what the labyrinth at the retreat center looks like. I also went over some mantrams (mantras) that are common for one to use for mantram repetition and what one might use while walking a labyrinth. In the Christian tradition they call them breath prayers, but are essentially the same. Oftentimes a breath prayer, used in the practice of centering prayer, is simply the name of Jesus or the Jesus Prayer "Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Really, when walking a labyrinth one can use whatever technique draws them inwards, deeper into their consciousness towards the Eternal seated at the center of their hearts. One need not even say a mantram at all as concentrating on one's breath might be preferable. Some might choose to consciously pray or talk to God or begin with an intention to find an answer and meditate on receiving that answer while moving deeper towards the center of the labyrinth. It all depends on what method is most effective for you spiritually.


Note: Blogger was giving me issues so I could not upload this video from my computer to blogger. I ended up having to upload it on YouTube to add it in this post. The video is sideways, for some reason I couldn't figure out on how to fix it! My apologies!








Thoughts? I'd love to hear them! Please leave them in the comments section. Thank you!

18 comments:

  1. Be at peace sis :) I enjoyed watching the vid sideways too :P

    Thank you for sharing the chants one could use while walking in the labyrinth... I usually start it off with a rosary. Then I also started using one of your chants, Om shanti shanti shanti.

    Would love to hear more of your experiences, reflections and insights from your retreat :)

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing Melissa. Om shanti shanti shanti is a beautiful one to use! I didn't include that in my video, but I love that one as well. It is found in the Upanishads.

    Looking forward to sharing more about the retreat-what I learned and experienced in the coming post. I also had an interesting experience I had on my way to the retreat as well that I want to share in a separate post! So much to write about. :)

    Blessings to you always sis.

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  3. Glad you had a good retreat. I've never walked a labyrinth, though I'd love to. My niece gave me a small hand-held one to follow with your fingers. I haven't "walked" it in a while. I may so soon.

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    1. Thanks Myrna for stopping by. I think you'd really enjoy walking a labyrinth! I have never "walked" a hand held one. It seems like they have an app for everything these days! :)

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  4. Wonderful video! Sounds like a place of contemplative being. Looking forward to more of your realizations from the retreat.

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    1. Thank you David. :) It was a beautiful place...definitely a setting conducive to contemplation. I wish I could have stayed longer! I'm looking forward to sharing some of my thoughts and some things I learned in a post that will follow this one. :)

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  5. We have a labyrinth walk at our church every month. The first time I did it, I thought it might feel silly, but it wasn't at all. It is a wonderful spiritual practice. I have a finger labyrinth at home and I use it sometimes during prayer/meditation.

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    1. Galen, you are the second person to mention a "finger labyrinth"...I'm going to have to look into those! That's great that you have a labyrinth at your church. I wish I had one that was closer to us.

      Thank you so much for stopping by. :)

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  6. I still dream of having one of these in my backyard! What a wonderful experience for you to "stumble" upon the labyrinth at the end of your retreat. Of course, it was no accident at all, we know that. Thank you for sharing this with us. I look forward to reading more about your retreat experience. :)

    - Dawn

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    1. Thank you so much Dawn for stopping by. That would be awesome to have one in one's backyard. If ever we have a lot of land that would be a great project!

      ~ blessings

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  7. I've never tried a labyrinth meditation before, Jessica. It sounds fascinating. Incidentally it was well worth watching the video if only to hear your voice :)

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  8. Thanks Corinne...;) I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I think it's fun to switch things up a bit on my blog and I think a video from time to time adds a bit of a personal touch to things.
    Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  9. Thank you for sharing your labyrinth meditation... interesting, my first time! The surrounding area is beautiful and looks very peaceful!

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    1. It was very beautiful there! In upstate NY, right by the Hudson river. In the video you can hear the birds singing. :)
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. At my former church, there was, and still is, a labyrinth painted on canvas that they roll out once or twice a month for folks to walk and meditate. I did it several times, but with all the people around, could never truly focus. I would love to try it again now that I've learned to "be still" and much more mindful in my thoughts. And, yes, I will watch the video, upside down or not. :)
    Can't wait to hear more about your retreat!
    Blessings!

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  11. That's really neat...I hadn't heard of labyrinths that were painted on canvas..That's actually a great idea. I could understand how it might be hard to focus with many people around. Every time I've been at a labyrinth (only twice so far) I've been alone...I think being solitary definitely helps the atmosphere be conducive towards contemplation and centering oneself. I think now that you've been practicing contemplation you'll notice a big difference in your experience. If you decide to try walking one again, please share with me what you think! :)

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  12. Jessica, I’m just now trying to catch up, and saw that I missed your wonderful tribute to your lovely, lovely grandmother. I’ve thought about writing a post on my grandmother, whom I never knew, but learned about from my mother’s journal.
    Now on to the labyrinth. I haven’t walked one since my friend, the one whose husband created one in their backyard, moved across town, and is now remarried and moving across state. Love the Jesus prayer most, as it works wonders for me!

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  13. Hi Jessica:
    There's a small labyrinth at The Mercy Center in Madison:
    -- http://www.cjpphotos.com/p/mercy_centerbrlandscape/mercycentermaze10242011-001_9_3_2_2

    -- http://www.cjpphotos.com/p/aprilbr2007/mercycentermaze04280738

    I've walked it myself a few times. Really peaceful to be there. After reading this I'm feeling like I need to go back again. Love the Mercy Center. I'm fortunate to have the place so close to me.

    Talk soon.
    --
    Chris

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